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Equity Compensation
3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2021
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Equity Compensation Equity Compensation
Restricted Stock Units:

A summary of restricted stock activity for the three months ended April 30, 2021, is as follows:
Unvested
restricted
stock units
Weighted
average grant
date fair value
per share
 (in thousands) 
Unvested restricted stock units at January 31, 20214,503.9 $191.91 
Granted1,582.8 292.20 
Vested(558.4)161.69 
Canceled/Forfeited(112.6)198.93 
        Performance Adjustment (1)(7.9)137.02 
Unvested restricted stock units at April 30, 20215,407.8 $226.12 
 _______________
(1)Based on Autodesk's financial results and relative total stockholder return for the fiscal 2021 performance period. The performance stock units were attained at rates ranging from 103.0% to 108.0% of the target award.

The fair value of the shares vested during the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, was $148.8 million and $111.4 million, respectively.

During the three months ended April 30, 2021, Autodesk granted 1.3 million restricted stock units. Autodesk recorded stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock units of $89.6 million and $76.9 million during the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

During the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, Autodesk settled liability-classified awards in the amount of zero and $28.7 million, respectively. The ultimate number of shares earned was based on the Autodesk closing stock price on the vesting date. As these awards were settled in a fixed dollar amount of shares, the awards were accounted for as a liability-classified award and were expensed using the straight-line method over the vesting period.

During the three months ended April 30, 2021, Autodesk granted 0.2 million performance stock units for which the ultimate number of shares earned is determined based on the achievement of performance criteria at the end of the stated service and performance period. The performance criteria for the performance stock units vested during the three months ended April 30, 2021, are based on revenue and free cash flow goals adopted by the Compensation and Human Resource Committee and, as applicable, total stockholder return compared against companies in the S&P North American Technology Software Index with a market capitalization over $2.0 billion (“Relative TSR”). The fair value of the performance stock units is expensed using the accelerated attribution method over the three-year vesting period and have the following vesting schedule:

Up to one third of the performance stock units may vest following year one, depending upon the achievement of the performance criteria for fiscal 2022 as well as 1-year Relative TSR (covering year one).

Up to one third of the performance stock units may vest following year two, depending upon the achievement of the performance criteria for year two as well as 2-year Relative TSR (covering years one and two).

Up to one third of the performance stock units may vest following year three, depending upon the achievement of the performance criteria for year three as well as 3-year Relative TSR (covering years one, two and three).

Additionally, during the three months ended April 30, 2021, Autodesk granted 96,564 performance stock units, as part of a program offering certain employees the option to receive equity in lieu of the opportunity to receive an annual cash incentive award. The ultimate number of shares earned is determined based on the achievement of performance criteria at the end of the stated service and performance period. The performance criteria for the performance stock units are based on revenue and Non-GAAP income from operations targets adopted by the Compensation and Human Resource Committee. The fair value of these performance stock units is expensed using the accelerated attribution method over the one-year vesting period.

Performance stock units are not considered outstanding stock at the time of grant, as the holders of these units are not entitled to any of the rights of a stockholder, including voting rights.
Autodesk recorded stock-based compensation expense related to performance stock units of $11.8 million and $7.4 million for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Common Stock:

Autodesk agreed to issue a fixed amount of $4.9 million in common stock at a future date to certain employees in connection with a fiscal 2021 acquisition. Issuance of the common stock is dependent on the respective employees’ continued employment through the vesting period. The number of shares to be issued will be determined based on the fair value of Autodesk’s common stock at the issuance date. Shares to be issued are estimated to be 16,786 based on the closing price of Autodesk’s common stock on April 30, 2021, the last trading day of the fiscal quarter. The awards are accounted for as liability-classified awards and are recognized as compensation expense using the straight-line method over the vesting period.

Autodesk issued 73,632 shares of restricted common stock to certain employees in connection with a fiscal 2021 acquisition. These shares of restricted common stock are subject to forfeiture by the employee if employment terminates prior to the three-year employment period. The fair value of the restricted common stock is recorded as compensation for post-acquisition services and recognized as expense using the straight-line method over the three-year repurchase period.

Autodesk issued 9,277 shares of restricted common stock to certain employees in connection with a fiscal 2022 acquisition. These shares of restricted common stock were recorded as “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” and “Long-term other assets” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and will be amortized to stock-based compensation expense for post-acquisition services using the straight-line method over the two-year vesting period. See Note 8, “Acquisitions,” for further discussion.

Autodesk recorded stock-based compensation expense related to common stock shares of $2.6 million and zero for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

1998 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”)

Under Autodesk’s ESPP, which was approved by stockholders in 1998, eligible employees may purchase shares of Autodesk’s common stock at their discretion using up to 15% of their eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations, at 85% of the lower of Autodesk's closing price (fair market value) on the offering date or the exercise date. The offering period for ESPP awards consists of four, six-month exercise periods within a 24-month offering period.

A summary of the ESPP activity for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, is as follows:
Three Months Ended April 30,
20212020
Issued shares (in millions)0.5 0.5 
Average price of issued shares$128.02 $122.54 
Weighted average grant date fair value of shares granted under the ESPP (1)$91.17 $45.70 
 _______________
(1)Calculated as of the award grant date using the Black-Scholes Merton (“BSM”) option pricing model.
Stock-based Compensation Expense

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, as follows:
Three Months Ended April 30,
20212020
Cost of subscription and maintenance revenue$5.3 $3.7 
Cost of other revenue1.8 1.5 
Marketing and sales48.3 40.7 
Research and development46.7 32.9 
General and administrative13.7 19.4 
Stock-based compensation expense related to stock awards and ESPP purchases
115.8 98.2 
Tax benefit(16.0)(0.1)
Stock-based compensation expense related to stock awards and ESPP purchases, net of tax
$99.8 $98.1 
 
Stock-based Compensation Expense Assumptions

Autodesk determines the grant date fair value of its share-based payment awards using a BSM option pricing model or the quoted stock price on the date of grant, unless the awards are subject to market conditions, in which case Autodesk uses a binomial-lattice model (e.g., Monte Carlo simulation model). The Monte Carlo simulation model uses multiple input variables to estimate the probability that market conditions will be achieved. Autodesk uses the following assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards:
 Three Months Ended April 30, 2021Three Months Ended April 30, 2020
 Performance Stock UnitsESPPPerformance Stock UnitsESPP
Range of expected volatility36.9%
36.5 - 41.8%
50.7%
39.4 - 45.8%
Range of expected lives (in years)N/A
0.5- 2.0
N/A
0.5 - 2.0
Expected dividends—%—%—%—%
Range of risk-free interest rates0.1%
0.1- 0.2%
0.3%
0.3 - 0.5%

Autodesk estimates expected volatility for stock-based awards based on the average of the following two measures: (1) a measure of historical volatility in the trading market for the Company’s common stock, and (2) the implied volatility of traded forward call options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock. The expected volatility for performance stock units subject to market conditions includes the expected volatility of Autodesk's peer companies within the S&P North American Technology Software Index with a market capitalization over $2.0 billion, depending on the award type.

The range of expected lives of ESPP awards are based upon the four, six-month exercise periods within a 24-month offering period.

Autodesk does not currently pay, and does not anticipate paying in the foreseeable future, any cash dividends. Consequently, an expected dividend yield of zero is used in the BSM option pricing model and the Monte Carlo simulation model.

The risk-free interest rate used in the BSM option pricing model and the Monte Carlo simulation model for stock-based awards is the historical yield on U.S. Treasury securities with equivalent remaining lives.

Autodesk recognizes expense only for the stock-based awards that ultimately vest. Autodesk accounts for forfeitures of our stock-based awards as those forfeitures occur.